Many people start to play sports at a young age. Some kids play basketball, while others play rather unseen sports, like Ultimate Frisbee. But each person has their own unique story on why they play sports.

Terrific Tennis

Ryan Counts is a seventh-grade Maverick who plays tennis. Ryan’s story is unique because his great-grandfather holds the world record for the oldest person to play tennis at an official tournament, at the age of 97. Ryan has been playing tennis for eight years, starting at the age of 4. He comes from a long line of tennis players.

“Always keep trying, that’s my motto,” said Ryan.

Ryan enjoys tennis for its good workout and how it makes you feel on top of the world.

“I try to get ready for when I’m older and I can enter tournaments in high school and college.”  

He plans to enter tournaments and try to get on a high school and college team. He enjoys going to play tennis on Friday nights. Ryan also participates in a tennis camp in which they play tennis for seven hours every weekend.

“One time when I saw my great grandfather, I didn’t get any advice, just a t-shirt,” said Ryan.

Fantastic Frisbee

Matthew Hazlin is an eighth-grade Explorer, who plays a very interesting sport. Ultimate frisbee, commonly referred to just as Ultimate, which is a sport played on a field where the end zones are slightly larger than a football field. 

“If people ask me what sport I should play, I always say Ultimate. It’s a good way to get exercise in a low-contact game,” said Matthew

Ultimate is similar to football, but there is no contact. Players must simply deflect the frisbee or intercept it. Matthew has been playing since the sixth grade, when his mom wanted him to try a new sport. 

“It never hurts to try something new,” said Matthew.

 But since there are no ultimate leagues for kids, Matthew had to join the South Lakes High school team, competing with students up to five years older than him.

“I’m always trying to become a better Ultimate player,” said Matthew.

Graceful Golf

Ryan Kim is a seventh-grader on the Mavericks Team. He plays golf with his brother on a competitive level. He makes it a habit to practice every day after school, and has longer practices on the weekends at his local country club. 

“Golf may seem like a warm sport, but it really isn’t,” he said.

People often cheat by moving the ball, and according to Ryan, they don’t get caught. 

“I see people cheat all the time,” said Ryan.

He said golf can stressful, especially seeing as when televised because people pay attention to one person at a time, meaning that there could be millions of people focusing on a singular person

“Golf is one of the most mentally stressful sports,” he said.

Sports have been a staple for some students’ childhood, and they all have one common goal: Always trying to get better at their sport. 

According to Alexander Kirkpatrick, an Explorer, “If your parents sign you up for something, don’t instantly say no, because it might make you famous.”